Supposedly Terrible Movies That Are Secretly Great

It’s hard to judge a movie at the time of its release. Some movies just don’t hit the right tone for audiences at a given time, but are more enjoyable when removed from their specific place in cultural history.

Here are some films which were hated upon release, but which, while not necessarily flawless gems, are certainly more enjoyable than people think.

‘Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace’

The biggest problem with “Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace” (aside from having two subtitles) is its gigantic legacy. If you ignore the previous “Star Wars” movies, “The Phantom Menace” is a flawed but fun children’s sci-fi fantasy adventure flick.

‘Batman and Robin’

“Batman and Robin” had the misfortune of releasing just at the tail end of the bright, colorful ‘90s. Dark, gritty cinema was about to take off (as evidenced by the popularity of comic book movie “Blade”) and cheesy camp felt old-fashioned.

Culture has cycled back round, and it’s now easier to enjoy a movie that doesn’t take itself seriously.

‘Twilight’

Here’s a question: does “Twilight” get such a heavy kicking because it’s actually inherently terrible, or because it was popular among teenage girls? Look past the kneejerk hatemongering, and it’s possible to enjoy this as a dark but heartfelt coming of age story.

‘The Matrix Reloaded and Revolutions’

Like many movies on this list, the “Matrix” sequels, “Reloaded” and “Revolutions” had the unfortunate problem of following on from a beloved megahit.

The movies do feel a bit rushed, but considering what the Wachowski sisters managed in such a short time after the release of the first movie, there are a lot of interesting plot elements in here that expand the “Matrix” universe.